Burruss CTC Hosts Landscaping Graduation

Burruss CTC Hosts First Landscaping Program Graduation

8 Offenders receive Agriculture Technical Assistant certificates

FORSYTH, Ga. – On March 7, eight offenders at Burruss Correctional Training Center (CTC) received an Agriculture Technical Assistant certificate, through the University of Georgia’s Agriculture Technical Assistance Program (AgTAP). Burruss CTC is currently the only Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) facility to offer a Landscape Professional Training Program.

“We are proud of the first eight GDC offenders to successfully receive an Agriculture Technical Assistant certificate,” Said Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier, “We look forward to building on the foundation of this program, and continuing to pursue our mission of reducing recidivism through effective programming.”

The Landscape Professional Training program began at Burruss CTC on January 24, and is led by the Director of the University of Georgia’s AgTAP. The 6-week course has 10 modules and students must pass a test at the end of each module before proceeding to the next. The modules include: Quality Landscape Management: The Employees Role, Making Every Drop Count: Employees Role in Water Conservation, Job Safety for the Professional Landscape Employee, Being Safe with Grounds Equipment, Introduction to Pesticide Safety, Planting Procedures for Woody Ornamentals, Annual Bed Preparation and Installation, Installation and Establishment of Turfgrasses, Pruning Ornamental Plants in the Landscape, and The Employees Role in Landscape Problem Solving.

The GDC has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees.

For more information on the GDC call 478-992-5248 or visit http://www.gdc.ga.gov.

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